Means for raising sunken vessels.



G. G. LEMGNS.

MEANS FOR BMSING SUNKEN VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED Auasi. 19m.

Patented Mar. 1L 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

3mm/wim @Wo/bums G.- G. LEMONS.

MEANS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.3I.'I9I8. 1,296,824. Patented Mar. 11,1919.

@1I/tomaat,

G. G. LEMONS,

MEANS FOB RMSING SUNKEN VESSELS.

. APPLICATION FILED AUGS. l9l8.

' Patented Mar. 11.1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

mi@ Va G. G. L'EMONS. MEANS FOR RAISNG SUNKEN VESSELS.

'APPLICATION FLED AUGHSIV 1918. v

1 ,296,824. Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

5 SHEETS-*SHEET 4.

G. G. LEMUNS. MEANS FOR RASING SUNKEN VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED ^UG.3I, i918. 1,296,824. Patented Mar. 11,1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5 Mme/MM G. GIZe/)ZGU Suona,

GEORGE G'. LEMONS, 0F PRESCOTT, ARIZONA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 31, 1918. Serial No. 252,166.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE G. LEMoNs, a if y 'showing the parts removed to permit of the citizen of Great Britain,residing at Prescott, in the county of Yavapai and State of Arizona, have invented new and useful Improvements in Means for Raising Sunken Vessels, of which the following is a specication. Y

This invention relates to a means for rotating and raising sunken vessels. Y

The primary object of the invention is to produce a device of this character in the nature of a drill, operative from the surface of the water to penetrate and secure itself to vessels sunk in such a depth of lwater that renders it impractical or impossible for divers to descend to attach lto the vessel means for elevating the same.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved device of this charac-V tercomprising a drill constructed in sections whereby the same may be lowered to any desired depth in the water, the said drill being arranged on and operated from a boat, scow or other support near the surface ofV the water and being so connected with such support as topermit of the separation there from, leaving the drill in vertical position after the same has penetrated and has attached itself to a sunken vessel, whereby any desired num-berof drills may be thus attached to theV vessel and also whereby suitable elevating means may be attached to the said drills for raising the vessel, or whereby the drills projecting above the surface of the water will indicate the location of the sunken vessel.

Various other objects and advantages of the improvement will present themselves as the nature of the invention is better understood, reference being Vhad to the accompanying drawings in which there is illustrated a satisfactory embodiment of the improvement as it now appears to me. The nature of the improvement is such that the same is necessarily susceptible to a wide scope of modifications, all of which, fall within the scope of what is claimed.

In the drawings Figure l is a view illustrating the manner in which the device may be operated from a boat or other means floating on the surface of the water, showing the drill in attached position upon a sunken vessel;

Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the improvement upon an enlarged scale;

F ig. 3 is a frontelevation of the same; Fig. 4V is a View similar to Fig. ,3, but

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view showing the locking and releasing Vmeans for the anchor.

Patented Mar; 1'1, 1919..YY

'run strainsA PATENT ormoni i Fig.V 9 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the drill in a line with the that. are attachedV thereto; and Y i Y.

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective View Villustratlng the manner of removing one of the blocks from the front of the drill guideto Awings permit of the separation of the support fromV the drill, after the latter has been attached to the sunken vessel.

The improvement is supported from'an ocean going scow or other suitable vessel which, in the drawings, is indicated by the numeral 1. Secured to the flat deck Vof the floating support 1 and projecting therebeyondare parallel beams 2 which form the base. for the guide or cage of the Y drill. Arising from the beams or plates 2 Vare spaced vertical beams 3-3, the outer beams being secured adjacent to the outer ends of the plates 2, and consequently being ar- Y ranged outwardly of the iloating support or scow 1.

The beams 3, at desired intervals are connected by 'bars or plates t respectively. VThe connecting bars 4, in the showing of the drawing are arranged one series at the bottom, one at the top and two intermediate of the ends of the corner beams3 for the cage. These connecting plates may be braced by transverse plates 5, as disclosed by the drawings, and the rear ofthe cage is braced by an angle beam 6 secured to the plates 2 and to the upper portion of the cage. The brace beams are reinforced by truss bars 7 secured adjacent to the top and bottom of the said beams 6 and contacting with brackets 8 arranged upon the outer faces ofthe beams 6. Theends of the rods are threaded in opposite directions in the usual manner and the said threaded ends are engaged by a turn `buckle 9, The outer connecting plates portions are provided with dove-tailed depressionsA 1 1* whichr receivetherein. dove-vV tailed tongues 12 provided upon the angle ends of filler blocks or plates 13. The blocks are thus rendered removable and whilel the weight thereof normally sustains the same in proper position upon `the said outer plates or timbers't any desired or preferred means maybe employed, if" desired, for lockingthe same to the beams. The cross plates 5 ei'fectively support the central cut away outerx plates 4. v Y n ,l

0n the scow 1, to therear of theplates 2 is secured the mast leliaving at its upper end'y a suitable rigging 15` including a beam 16. On the outer end of the beam is swiveled or otherwise connectedv a sheave 17 throughwhich is passed a cable' 18, the said cable being trained' around the grooved wheel in thesheave 19 that is connected at the top of the mast let and being wound around 'a suitable drum 20 that is journaled in suitable ,supports 21 onV the deck .of the scow'l'r.` The shaft 22'for the drum has'its end provided with a crank handle 23 and is also provided with a ratchet wheel 2t' which is engaged by a dog 25 to Yhold the drimi against accidental turning.

The' drill is Constructed in sections, any` desired number being employed in accordance with the depth at which the drill is vto be sunk.v Each of the sections is of a Vsimilar size, being all roundin cross section, and the upper end of one of the sections is provided-with theusual threaded bore to receive the threaded stem on the lower end of the co-acting section. This is true, in allinstances except in the lower section of the drill, which, fordistinction is indicated by the numeral 25 and VV'this section has its lower end formed with a screwl or twisted extension 26 that isY in the nature of an augur' and that is designed, when` brought against the plates of a sunken vessel, to bore therethrough to cause the end ofthe drill to Y entery the vessel.

The 'drill/section 25,. adjacent the outer endV 26fthereof is provided with a reduced portion 27 On this portion isslidably arrangedda collar 28.V To the collar 28, at diametrically opposite points are pivotally connected links 29. These links are adapted to be received in longitudinal notches' 30 in the oppositesides of the said collar 28. The links 29mhave their Vouter ends pivotally connected` to' arms y31, and these arms have their Y inner faces pivotally connected to, a Collar 32 that is also arranged upon the reduced portion. 27'ofVV the drill 25. Thecollar 28 is slidable on the reduced portion 27 of the ."drill, but is limited'rin i its downward" move'- ment bycontacting with a flange 33 that is secured yon the'said portion 27 of the drill,

drill. The flange 33, it is to be understood,

is notched whereby to V'receive the arms 31 when the vsaid arms are folded against the sides of the drill.- The armsl and the links are of a thickness not greater than thedistance betweenthe sides of the reduced pore tion 27 andfthe'sides of therdrill proper,fj` so that theend ofthe drill provided with Vthese elements may freely pass through a 'guide sleeve 34 provided 'in a plate or beam secured between Vthe Vbase plates 2,. Onithe collar 27 israrranged a keeper35 that is adapted tobe engaged by a'latch 36 disposed in the spacerprovided betweli'the shoulder 37 of the drill and the reduced portion'27 thereof. The drill upward ofthe' shoulder 37 is providedv with a longitudinal groove 38, and in, this groove is` arrangedfal fluid pipe Y39, which, however, does not extendl outward of the groove and may, if desired y.

have its outer portion rounded to correspond with the round cross sectional contour of theydrill.` The drill sections other than the lower section just described, and'V which are indicated by the numerals 40 are provided with similar pipe members 41havingsuit-l able coupling means V4t2 therebetween. To the uppermost pipe 4.1 is secured a iieXible hose 43, and thisliose is directed to the'enfgine room of the scow 1 (not shown); Y The hose may be connected directly to the boiler in the engine room or to an exhaust therefrom, so that when steam is letv through the '.105

hose and passed'through the pipes l1` and 39, thev catch" 37 will Vbe actuated to release roo the sleeve29, to permitthe latter, by virtue f of the weight lthereof 'to gravitate down` wardly of the drill section 25runtil the said collar contacts with theflange33. j Thiswi'll spread the links 29 'and the arms 31the said viio link s and'arms providing the anchoringord i' retaining meansfor'thedrill after the latter has been inserted in a sunken vessel, aswill c presently be understood.

' ln additionto the anchors justV described all ofthe drill sections are providedwith oppcsitely opposedpivoted wings V44 that are received in depressions forming pockets` therefor, the latter being designatedfby the numerals 45.

corners pivoted in the pockets ,45, the'said to limit'the outward swinging, thereof, and

T he wings 44V' are substanv. tially 'ii-shaped in planand'hav'e'their lower Ywhennin .their closed positionl having A.their I outer edges flush with'the outer surface of the drill.y stem. By 'this arrangement theY wings will fold, when passing through the guide 34 and will open aft-er passing through the said guide.

' On the top of the cage between the plates 4l is Secured an additional plate having an opening therein receiving a bearing sleeve A46 that is arranged in a line with the bearing to each of the Vupper sections, as for instance through the medium of binding screws 49 is the lower member 50 of a swivel'51, the latter carrying a bail 52 which is engaged by a hook 53 on the outer end of the cable 18.

It is to be understood that the weight of the drill is suflicient to cause the same to move in a downward direction without other influence and that the cable 18l must be payed out by the operator of the crank 23 to regulate the descent of the drill. vWhen the collar 27 contacts with the drill 46 or with the top of the cage the swivel 51 Vis removed and another section is attached to the first drillV section. The swivel member is then connected to the uppermost section, the cablebeing wound around the drum to permit of the hook 53 engaging with the bail 52 which is now secured upon the uppermost section. In a like manner the collar 47 is moved upwardly of the upper drill section and disposed a slight distance away from the swivel, so thatV the drill may be thus Y enlarged and lowered to a greater depth in the water. This is continued until the drill Vforciblycontacts with the sunken vessel and enters' the same. As the pointed endof the drill contacts with the sunken vessel, the operator is made aware of this fact by the concussion thus occasioned, and after the drill has moved downwardly a sullicient distance to penetrate the sides or plates Vof the vessel the steam or air fiuid controlled valve is actuated to permit of the fluid to pass through the hose 43, pipes 40 and 39 to ac- Y tuate the catch 37 and release the anchor member. This holds the drill in the vessel. In addition to this the wings 41 will automatically spread to their open position after entering the vessel, so that the pointed end and the anchor of theV drill may pass entirely through the vessel and the anchor only opened after the drill is thus positioned.

In order to cause the screw end of the drill to bore through theV vessel it is necessary that the drill stem be revolved. To accomplish this, as well as to provide a more efficient guide for the drill than that afforded by the sleeves 34 and 46, I provide roller members 54-54 and55 respectively.

The roller members 54 are arranged inwardly of the cage and contact with the inner side of the drill stem. The rollers 55 are arranged centrally between the rollers 54 and contact with the outer surface ofV the drill.

The rollers 54 have their ends provided with trunnions 56 preferably on the cross plates 5. It will thus be noted that an upper and lower series of rollers are provided. The trunnions 56 for the rollers 54, or ifV desired the lower ends of the said rollers, have peripheral teeth 57 thatare engaged by the teeth of screws 58 centrally secured on the outer faces of toothed wheels 59 respectively,

the said toothed wheels having their shafts journaled in suitable openings in bearing l Between the toothedV wheels'59, and intermeshing therewith areV members on the cage.

pinions 60. These pinions have their shafts 6l, journaled in suitable bearings between the inner corner posts or beams 3 of the cage, and upon the inner ends of each of the said shafts 61 is keyed or otherwise secured a beveled'toothed wheel 62 respectively.V On the inner vertical beams 3 of the cage is secured bearings 67 and 68 respectively and A through the bearings 68 passes a verticalVV shaft 69 that has its outer end provided with a beveled toothed wheel 70 that meshes with the upper beveled toothed wheel 66 of the shaft 61. The lowerbearings 68 receive a shorter shaft 7l that has its outer end pro'- vided with a beveled toothed wheel 72 that meshes with the toothed wheel 66 on the lower Vshaft 61. Both of these shafts 69 and 71 receive independent motion from a suitable drive means operated by the engine of the scow and connected to the said shafts,

such means being diagrammatically indicated by the dotted lines in F ig. 1 of the drawings. llhe outer rollers 55 have their trunnions 73 journaled in bearings in theV parallelarms 74V of substantially Ushaped brackets 75. These brackets are arranged for sliding movement in suitable guides 76 provided on the cage, and the brackets are adapted toV be contacted by anti-frictional rollers 77 journaled upon Vthe inner andV preferably bifurcated ends of levers 78 which are pivoted, as at 79 between the guides 7 6. The pivot is arranged olf of the center of the lever, and the outer end of each of the levers has connected thereto a flexible element, such as a cable 80, each of the latter being trained around suitable guide pulleys 81 in thc cage and guide pulleys 82 arranged upon the inner face of the cage and directedy vertically and downwardly over similar pulleys, illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings to theV engine room of the scow 1. The ends ofthe cables 80 may be wound around suitable drums that are controlled by a pawl and ratchet engagement, so that the force of contact of the outer pi'illeys 55 with the drill stem may be thus regulated.l l y As previously stated, the weight of the drill is sufficient to .cause the downward movel'nent thereof.V 'The' rollersv 56 are refV volved both in the same direction. The rollers 55 force the drill stem into contact with the rollers 56.v The rollers 56 provide the power elements for revolving the drill, the rollers 55 providing both a guide and friction means between the drill and the rollers 56. The anchorfis normally, as

- previously stated, retained in its pocket in the drill stem. The wings, however, are

'normal in their spread 'condition The.

wings, when contacted by the rollers will fold 'and be retained in their pockets until idly increasing ratio according to the depth. y lnfsuch waters it is impossible to use diving Y apparatus for permitting living beings to descend beneath the surface thereof. lith my improvement it will be seen that the necessity of risking human life is entirely overcome. `Vhen one of thedrills has been lowered Vto penetrate the sunken vessel, the

iiller blocks 13 are removed, carrying therewith the friction rollers 55 and the guides therefor. The cables v80 are sufiiciently slacked topermit of the blocksand the elements carried thereby being arranged upon the deck kof the scow. The scowV may be then backed away fromV the drill. The blocks may be replaced and another drill may lbe arranged th'rough'the cage and opn ierated'upon to again penetrate the sunken vessel at a different point vfrom that engaged by the first drill.` Thus any desired number of drills may be forced into the vessel.

A The scow may have arranged thereon means "-to engage with the drills for raising the vessel, or the scow, after performing its work in securing the drills vto the sunken vessel and thus marking the place at which the vessel is sunken may leave thev spot and 'tugs orsimilar vessels provided with suitable equipments may engage with the drills to elevate the vessel, or `pontoons may be sunk at each side of the drills so that the same can be vthus fastened to the sunken t vessel, and in this manner the vessel 'may be raised Vand drifted or conveyed to shore.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimedist Y Y l. The 'combination of a drill having a screw atzthe'lower end thereof, 'a pivoted anchor normally retained in a `pocket in they drill,a catch normally engaging said anchor for retaining the same in the pocket, a iuid conducting pipe opposite the catch, means for permitting a 'flow of fluid from said pipe 70 to actuate'said catch to release the anchor, means for revolving the drill, and suspending means for the drill. n

:2. The combination of ya drill having a screw at the lower end thereof, av pivoted anchor normally retained in a pocket in the drill, gravity influenced wings pivotally secured to the drill above the anchor, latching means for the anchor, releasingmeans forY said latching means, guide means forvthe drill,'means for revolving theV drillcompris-V ing rollers and operating means` therefor, means for regulating the contacting engagement of certain of said rollers with said drill, and suspending means for said drill.

3. The combination of a drill Yhaving .a screw on the lower end thereof, a cage through Vwhich the drill gravitates, guideV means on the cage for the drill, suspending meansabov'e the cage for the drill, adjustable 90 retaining means for said suspending means, Y rollers in the cage contacting with the drill, Y means for revolving certain of said rollers, and means for adjusting the vcontact of the" remaining rollers with the drill. e 4. The combination yof a drill having a f screw at the lower end thereof, a pivoted anchor normally retainedV in a pocket in the drill, releasing means for said anchor., a

cage through which the drill is ravitation- Y ally guided, suspendiny means V'for the drill above the cage, adjusta le supporting means Y for said suspendingmeans, means comprising rollers in the cage for revolving the drill, l means for revolving Ycertain ofrsaid rollers, and means for regulating the frictional contactof the rollers with the drill. Y Y

5. The combination of a drill comprising a plurality of connected sections, a screw on the outer end .of the lower section, Ya pivoted l anchor normally retained Vin a pocket in said lower section, .latching means therefor, releasing means for said latching means, gravity influen'icedV pivoted'wings on all of the sections, said sections having pockets to receive'the wings when the latter are ,contacted,and the lower walls of said pockets serving as stops for limiting theoutward movement of the wings with respect to the sections, guide means for the drill, means .for le20 revolving the drill, and flexible suspending means for the drill.

6. Thercombination of aV drill having Va screw on the lower end thereof, a pivoted anchor normallyretained in a pocket inthe v drill, latching means therefor, releasing means for said latching means, va cage through which the drill gravitates, suspende ing means for the drill for regulating the' gravitationv thereof, rollers Vcarried by the cage contacting with the drill for revolving said drill, means for turning certain of said rollers, means for adjusting other of said rollers with respect to the drill, whereby to force the drill against the rotatable rollers, and removable means arranged upon the cage whereby to permit of the separation of the drill from the cage. Y

7. The combination of a drill comprising a plurality of sections having a screw on the lower end thereof, a ivoted anchor normally retained in a poc et in the drill, latching means therefor, releasing means for said latching means, a cage through which the drill is gravitationall guided, suspending means above the cage for the drill, adjusting means for said suspending means, said cage having a removable front whereby the same `may be moved away from engagement with theV drill, means, comprising rollers, carried by the drill for rotating the latter, said rotating means comprising an upper and lower series of rollers, and independent means for actuating each of said series of rollers.

8. In a device for the purpose set forth, a floating body, plates secured to the deck thereof and projectingithereover, a cage having a removable front on the Outer ends of said plates, brace members between the support and cage, a gravity iniluenced drill comprising a plurality of connected sections guided centrally in the cage, a screw on the lower end of said drill, a pivoted anchor for the drill normally received in a pocket therein, latching means for said anchor, releasing means for said latching means, pivoted wings normally retained at an outward angle with respect to the drill adapted to be brought inwardly of the drill when contacted from the lower or outer edges thereof, means adjustable on the drill contacting with the top of the cage for limitin the downward movement of the drill t rough the cage, a removable swivel on the upper end of the drill, a mast on the support, a boom thereon, a cable trained through guide pul leys on said boom and removably connected to the swivel, a drum for said cable, actuating and latching means therefor, roller members arranged in series carried by the cage and contacting with the drill, means for regulatinof the contacting en agement of certain of said rollers with said rill, and independent lmeans for revolving certain of the rollers in each of said semes.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

, GEORGE G. LEMONS.

` Copies of thisI patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 

